Yamaha FC4 Keyboard Pedal Review

The Yamaha FC4 keyboard pedal has downsides, but seemingly few strong points to counterbalance the negatives.  I found it disappointing in performance, especially since I'm used to a regular piano's pedals.

For instance, the FC4 works backwards with my keyboard (a Casio CTK-5000). When I push the pedal down, it has no sustain and has sustain when I am not pressing down. That is directly opposite of a normal piano. Maybe it only works logically with Yamaha keyboards?

Update: I learned from the Internet that other people have had the same problem. The fix is to plug the pedal in before you turn the keyboard on, but that didn't work for me, although I tried! It still is backwards. So, buyer beware. The fix might not work for everybody.

The FC4 pedal seems to be either on or off when pressed. It frustrating, especially if you are used to piano pedals, where you can hit the medium sustain "sweet spots." As I am playing, I am trying to hit the medium sustain, but the sustain will be on or off. Grrrrr! Also, I find that when the sustain is on, it sounds too sustained or washed over.

This is the place where I would normally identify the user who would most benefit from this product, but I think few people would be completely satisfied with the Yamaha FC4, especially if they are used to piano pedals.